Waymark all Public Land Survey System (PLSS) marks used to define property and public land divisions throughout the world.
There is a new tool for Google Earth for mapping out the PLSS here is the link
PLSS in Google Earth
These are comprised of private survey marks, local government survey marks, boundary poles, private property lines, cairns, rock paint marks, notched boulders, and many more. They can commonly be found defining townships, subdivisions of townships, park boundaries, federal property boundaries, etc.
This category can also include boundary marks and survey marks accomplished by private survey companies used in redefining property lines and construction projects.
If you find a USGS benchmark, then please file it in the US Benchmarks category or other appropriate benchmark category.
More information of survey marks can be found at:
PLSS in Wikipedia
Here are pictures and diagrams of what some of these marks look like:
The above plaque is for townshipping. This metal map is divided into 6x6, 1 mile squares; thus the 36 sections of a township. The nail or remaining hole shows you where you are in the township. There is almost always a stone monument near this:
Above is one of the PLSS monuments. In some cases benchmarks have been or are being placed at these stone monuments.
The smallest the plaques will be divided is a 1/16 corner; that is 1/16 of a 1 mile section; or 40 acre corners which equals .250 miles. Private surveyors usually make the smaller ones.
Next to this monument is usually a bearing tree and witness tree (or two witness trees), or even a sign. Scars on the trees will indicate bearing. Here is a witness post:
Here are diagrams of scared trees:
There are also several different ways corner marks are represented. These can be chiseled rocks, painted marks, ribbons, wooden posts, cairns, and more:
